North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)

North Norfolk is a constituencyTemplate:Refn represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Steffan Aquarone, a Liberal Democrat.Template:Refn

Constituency profile

The seat covers a long stretch of the Norfolk coast including the seaside towns of Cromer, Wells-next-the-Sea and Sheringham.

History

The North Division of Norfolk was first created by the Reform Act 1867 as one of three two-member divisions of the Parliamentary County of Norfolk. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three two-member county divisions were replaced with six single-member divisions. The second version of this constituency was one of the single-member seats. It has remained as a single-member seat since then, being designated as a County Constituency from the 1950 general election.

Formerly held by Labour from 1945 to 1970, then the Conservatives from 1970 to 2001, the seat was represented by the Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb from 2001 until he stood down for the 2019 general election, when the Conservatives regained the seat from the Lib Dems with a swing of 17.5%. However, the Lib Dems re-took the seat at the following general election in 2024 with a swing of 16.8%.

The 2001 general election marked the first time that a Liberal-aligned candidate had won a seat in Norfolk since 1929. This was to be followed by the election of Simon Wright in Norwich South in 2010. While Wright's success was short-lived (he was defeated in 2015), Lamb retained his seat, which at the 2015 election was one of only two Liberal Democrat seats in southern England, and one of only eight in the whole UK. At the 2017 general election, in which the Liberal Democrats lost five of their nine seats, North Norfolk was one of the four held. Although the seat had been held by Labour for the 25 years following the Second World War, Labour has slumped to a distant third in recent years, and came fourth in 2015, and last in a narrower field of three candidates in 2017.

North Norfolk was described by the Earl of Leicester as "the one constituency in England where, in 1964, it was so feudal that it had to be explained to the electors that the ballot was secret." Feudal is used as a metaphor, or shorthand, meaning constitutionally backward.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1868–1885

• The Hundreds of East Flegg, West Flegg, Happing, Tunstead, Erpingham (North), Erpingham (South), Eynsford, Holt and North Greenhoe.

The seat was formed largely from northern parts of the abolished Eastern Division, with a small part transferred from the Western Division. It also absorbed the Parliamentary Borough of Great Yarmouth, which had been disenfranchised for corruption under the Act.

1885–1918

• The Sessional Divisions of Eynsford, Holt, North Erpingham, and North Greenhoe; and
• Part of the Sessional Division of South Erpingham.

Great Yarmouth re-established as a single-member Parliamentary Borough. Eastern parts were transferred to the re-established Eastern Division.

1918–1950

• The Urban Districts of Cromer, Sheringham, and Wells-next-the-Sea; and
• The Rural Districts of Aylsham, Erpingham, and Walsingham.

Gained the area around Fakenham from the abolished North-Western Division, and lost small areas in the south to the Eastern and South-Western Divisions.

1950–1974

• The Urban Districts of Cromer, North Walsham, Sheringham, and Wells-next-the-Sea; and
• The Rural Districts of Erpingham, Smallburgh, and Walsingham.

Gained North Walsham and the Rural District of Smallburgh from the abolished Eastern Division. An area comprising the former Rural District of Aylsham (now part of the St Faith's and Aylsham Rural District) was transferred to the new constituency of Central Norfolk.

1974–1983

• The Urban Districts of Cromer, North Walsham, and Sheringham; and
• The Rural Districts of Erpingham, St Faith's and Aylsham, and Smallburgh.

Gained the Rural District of St Faiths and Aylsham, including Hellesdon and Sprowston, from the now abolished constituency of Central Norfolk. Wells-next-the-Sea and the Rural District of Walsingham, including Fakenham, were transferred to the re-established constituency of North West Norfolk.

1983–2010

• The District of North Norfolk.

The seat was extended westwards, regaining Wells-next-the-Sea and areas comprising the former Rural District of Walsingham, including Fakenham, from North West Norfolk. Suburbs of Norwich, including Hellesdon and Sprowston, were transferred to Norwich North, and remaining southern areas, including Aylsham, to the new constituency of Mid Norfolk.Template:Maplink

2010–2024

• The District of North Norfolk wards of Briston, Chaucer, Corpusty, Cromer Town, Erpingham, Gaunt, Glaven Valley, Happisburgh, High Heath, Holt, Hoveton, Mundesley, North Walsham East, North Walsham North, North Walsham West, Poppyland, Priory, Roughton, St Benet, Scottow, Sheringham North, Sheringham South, Stalham and Sutton, Suffield Park, The Runtons, Waterside, Waxham, and Worstead.

Fakenham and surrounding areas were transferred out once again to the new constituency of Broadland.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• The District of North Norfolk wards of: Bacton; Beeston Regis & The Runtons; Briston; Coastal; Cromer Town; Erpingham; Gresham; Happisburgh; Hickling; Holt; Hoveton & Tunstead; Mundesley; North Walsham East; North Walsham Market Cross; North Walsham West; Poppyland; Priory; Roughton; St. Benet’s; Sheringham North; Sheringham South; Stalham; Stody; Suffield Park; Trunch; Wells with Holkham; Worstead.

Minor gain following changes to local authority ward boundaries.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1868–1885

West Norfolk and East Norfolk prior to 1868

Election	First member	First party		Second member	Second party
1868	constituency created
1868	Frederick Walpole	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	Sir Edmund Lacon	rowspan="3" style="width: 2px; background-color:Template:Party color;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" |	Conservative
1876 by-election	James Duff	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1879 by-election	Edward Birkbeck	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1885	reduced to one member

MPs since 1885

Election	Member	Party
1885	Herbert Cozens-Hardy	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1899 by-election	William Brampton Gurdon	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Jan 1910	Noel Buxton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1918	Douglas King	style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color;" |	Coalition Independent
1920		REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1922	Noel Buxton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1930 by-election	Lady Noel-Buxton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1931	Thomas Cook	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1945	Edwin Gooch	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1964	Bert Hazell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1970	Ralph Howell	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1997	David Prior	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
2001	Sir Norman Lamb	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
2019	Duncan Baker	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
2024	Steffan Aquarone	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color

Elections

File:N Norf Election Results.png

Election results 1900-2024

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Duncan Baker	16,903	35.9
		Jason Patchett	6,368	13.5
		Cathy Cordiner-Achenbach	2,878	6.1
		Liz Dixon	1,406	3.0
Majority			2,585	5.5
Turnout			47,043	65.9
Registered electors			71,438
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	Increase16.8

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	30,145	58.5
	Liberal Democrats	15,653	30.4
	Labour	3,980	7.7
	Brexit Party	1,739	3.4
	Green	45	0.1
Turnout		51,562	72.9
Electorate		70,719

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General election 2019: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Karen Ward	15,397	30.3
		Emma Corlett	3,895	7.7
		Harry Gwynne	1,739	3.4
Majority			14,395	28.3
Turnout			50,823	71.9
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+17.5

Sir Norman Lamb did not stand for re-election. The seat saw the largest decrease in the Liberal Democrat vote share at the 2019 general election, and the third highest increase in vote share for the Conservatives.

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General election 2017: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		James Wild	21,748	41.7
		Stephen Burke	5,180	9.9
Majority			3,512	6.7
Turnout			52,188	75.3
	hold		Swing	-0.8

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General election 2015: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ann Steward	15,256	30.9
		Michael Baker	8,328	16.9
		Denise Burke	5,043	10.2
		Mike Macartney-Filgate	1,488	3.0
Majority			4,043	8.2
Turnout			49,414	71.7
	hold		Swing	-7.6

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General election 2010: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Trevor Ivory	15,928	32.1
		Phil Harris	2,896	5.8
		Michael Baker	2,680	5.4
		Andrew Boswell	508	1.0
		Simon Mann	95	0.2
Majority			11,626	23.4
Turnout			49,661	73.2
	hold		Swing	+3.1

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Iain Dale	20,909	35.5
		Phil Harris	5,447	9.2
		Stuart Agnew	978	1.7
		Justin Appleyard	116	0.2
Majority			10,606	17.9
Turnout			58,965	73.0
	hold		Swing	+8.5

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General election 2001: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		David Prior	23,495	41.8
		Mike Gates	7,490	13.3
		Mike Sheridan	649	1.2
		Paul Simison	608	1.1
Majority			483	0.9
Turnout			56,220	70.2
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+1.5

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman Lamb	20,163	34.3
		Michael Cullingham	14,736	25.1
		John Allen	2,458	4.2
Majority			1,293	2.2
Turnout			58,813	76.0
	hold		Swing	-9.5

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General election 1992: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Norman Lamb	16,265	27.3
		Michael Cullingham	13,850	23.2
		Angie Zelter	559	0.9
		S. Jackson	167	0.3
Majority			12,545	21.0
Turnout			59,651	80.8
	hold		Swing	-3.6

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Neil Anthony	13,512	25.0
		Anthony Earle	10,765	19.9
		Michael Filgate	960	1.8
Majority			15,310	28.3
Turnout			54,059	77.5
	hold		Swing	+0.5

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General election 1983: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Elworthy	13,007	26.8
		Edward Barber	9,317	19.2
Majority			13,223	27.2
Turnout			48,554	74.6
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		R. S. Dimmick	22,126	28.6
		Gustav Rex Collings	10,643	13.8
		A. C. R. Sizeland	548	0.7
Majority			21,826	28.3
Turnout			72,269	78.7
	hold		Swing	+6.1

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General election October 1974: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		D. M. Mason	22,191	32.0
		Richard Moore	13,776	19.9
Majority			11,121	16.1
Turnout			69,279	76.5
	hold		Swing

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General election February 1974: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		D. M. Mason	21,394	28.6
		Richard Moore	17,853	23.8
Majority			14,290	19.0
Turnout			74,931	83.4
	hold		Swing

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General election 1970: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Bert Hazell	19,903	44.7
Majority			4,684	10.6
Turnout			44,490	80.3
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ralph Howell	20,059	49.10
Majority			737	1.80
Turnout			40,855	83.19
	hold		Swing

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General election 1964: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Frank Henry Easton	19,307	49.9
Majority			53	0.2
Turnout			38,667	79.7
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Frank Henry Easton	19,126	49.15
Majority			658	1.70
Turnout			38,910	79.81
	hold		Swing

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General election 1955: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William Scarlett Jameson	19,657	48.47
Majority			1,242	3.06
Turnout			40,556	81.64
	hold		Swing

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General election 1951: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Douglas M. Reid	20,788	49.67
Majority			279	0.66
Turnout			41,855	83.66
	hold		Swing

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General election 1950: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Douglas M. Reid	17,741	43.03
		Arnold Hilward Jones	3,703	8.98
Majority			2,049	4.96
Turnout			41,234	84.31
	hold		Swing

Election in the 1940s

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General election 1945: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Cook	12,507	41.33
Majority			5,246	17.34
Turnout			30,260	70.94
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Lucy Noel-Buxton	14,465	44.74
Majority			3,398	10.52
Turnout			32,328	78.14
	hold		Swing

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General election 1931: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Lucy Noel-Buxton	13,035	39.47
Majority			6,953	21.06
Turnout			33,023	82.27
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

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1930 North Norfolk by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Cook	14,642	49.7
Majority			179	0.6
Turnout			29,463	75.0
	hold		Swing	-2.8

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Cook	12,661	41.3
		Zelia Hoffman	3,407	11.1
Majority			1,883	6.2
Turnout			30,612	77.9
Registered electors			39,272
	hold		Swing	−1.0

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General election 1924: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Cook	9,974	40.6
		Maurice Alexander	2,637	10.7
Majority			2,004	8.1
Turnout			24,589	77.1
Registered electors			31,913
	hold		Swing	−3.6

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General election 1923: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Brian Smith	9,022	42.4
Majority			3,256	15.2
Turnout			21,300	68.3
Registered electors			31,205
	hold		Swing	+5.4

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General election 1922: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Roger Bowan Crewdson	10,975	47.8
Majority			1,029	4.4
Turnout			22,979	75.2
Registered electors			30,556
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1910s

Template:Election box winning candidate with party link coalition 1918Template:Election box end 1918Template:Asterisk King was named a Unionist candidate in the official list of Coalition Government endorsements, but he wrote to The Times stating he had left the party before the election and should be classed as an independent. He later rejoined the party. General election 1914–15: Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Liberal: Noel Buxton
• Unionist: Douglas King

File:Noel Buxton.jpg

Buxton

General election 1918: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Noel Buxton	9,061	49.4
Majority			213	1.2
Turnout			18,335	60.8
Registered electors			30,179
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+3.8

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General election December 1910: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Douglas King	4,491	46.4
Majority			696	7.2
Turnout			9,678	86.7
Registered electors			11,169
	hold		Swing	+0.6

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General election January 1910: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Douglas King	4,604	47.0
Majority			585	6.0
Turnout			9,793	87.7
Registered electors			11,169
	hold		Swing	−5.7

Elections in the 1900s

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1906 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		F. T. S. Rippingall	3,628	41.3
Majority			1,527	17.4
Turnout			8,783	81.4
Registered electors			10,795
	hold		Swing	+2.5

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1900 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Spencer Follett	3,493	43.8
Majority			997	12.4
Turnout			7,983	77.8
Registered electors			10,261
	hold		Swing	+3.0

Elections in the 1890s

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1899 North Norfolk by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kenneth Kemp	3,610	43.0
Majority			1,165	14.0
Turnout			8,385	83.7
Registered electors			10,017
	hold		Swing	+3.8

• Caused by Cozens-Hardy's appointment as a judge in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice.

File:1895 Herbert Cozens-Hardy.jpg

Cozens-Hardy

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1895 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Kenneth Kemp	3,738	46.8
Majority			508	6.4
Turnout			7,984	80.5
Registered electors			9,924
	hold		Swing	−5.0

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1892 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Cator	3,278	41.8
Majority			1,283	16.4
Turnout			7,839	90.0
Registered electors			8,713
	hold		Swing	+3.1

Elections in the 1880s

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1886 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ailwyn Fellowes	3,324	44.9
Majority			760	10.2
Turnout			7,408	76.0
Registered electors			9,742
	hold		Swing	−5.0

File:Sir Samuel Hoare, 1st Baronet.jpg

Hoare

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1885 general election: North Norfolk

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Samuel Hoare	3,342	39.9
Majority			1,686	20.2
Turnout			8,370	85.9
Registered electors			9,742
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	N/A

Template:Election box winning candidate unopposed with party linkTemplate:Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link

1880 general election: North Norfolk (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Registered electors			6,519
	hold
	hold

Elections in the 1870s

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1879 by-election: North Norfolk (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Buxton	2,252	45.1
Majority			490	9.8
Turnout			4,994	77.1
Registered electors			6,474
	hold

• Caused by Duff's death.

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1876 by-election: North Norfolk (1 seat)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Thomas Buxton	2,192	48.8
Majority			110	2.4
Turnout			4,494	72.1
Registered electors			6,231
	hold

• Caused by Walpole's death.

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1874 general election: North Norfolk (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Registered electors			6,325
	hold
	hold

Elections in the 1860s

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1868 general election: North Norfolk (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Edmond Wodehouse	2,235	23.5
		Robert Gurdon	2,078	21.9
Majority			328	3.5
Turnout			4,753 (est)	73.9 (est)
Registered electors			6,432
	win (new seat)
	win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)

External links

• North Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• North Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• North Norfolk UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK